For those looking for chinks in Blue Armour, they will point to the fact that City have struggled to get over the line against Huddersfield, Southampton and West Ham.

David Silva struck late on to give Manchester City their 13th Premier League win in a row in what proved to be an unhappy return for Zabaleta. I am pretty sure he doesn't want other players to get injured, ' he said.

"You have to try to solve it (when teams pack the defence)".

"Always, they have 10 players behind the ball".

But City played both in the second half on Sunday as they laid siege to Adrian's goal and Guardiola said the performance of the Argentine and Brazilian in tandem had given him plenty to consider.

"I heard about the Fergie time", said Guardiola.

The victory maintained City's eight-point lead over second-placed United ahead of next week's Manchester derby at Old Trafford.

Pogba fanned the derby flames in a weekend interview in which he quipped that he hoped City suffer injuries this season only to then rule himself out of yesterday's game by being sent off for a stamp on Hector Bellerin in United's 3-1 win at Arsenal on Saturday.

"Did he say that?"

"I would prefer to win (games) earlier but the Premier League is the Premier League", Guardiola said. I think we have a good team, good players.

"I think the intensity was there, but when you've got 11 men behind the ball that are not interested in anything other than just parking the bus it makes it hard".

The Gavin & Stacey creator slammed the side as "Avram Grant bad" on the back of their 4-0 defeat to Everton midweek and Corden was a bag of nerves when manager David Moyes pit his wits against those of Pep Guardiola this weekend.

There are those who claim that Manual Neuer's ability to play as a sweeper keeper gives him the edge over The Red Devils number one, but I'm not having that.

"For the respect of Shakhtar, for the respect of Napoli, for the respect of the competition and because it's a big opportunity to win 18 points for the prestige of the club".

"The best way to prepare for United, Tottenham and Swansea is to play good against Shakhtar".

TV rights holders of more than 20 crews will be in attendance and, as a result, United feel the tunnel will be too busy to accommodate another which is not an official Premier League broadcast partner.